David Longdon: Giving to the Bates Fund As An Act of Gratitude

As a young professional living in New York City, David Longdon ’14 says that making his largest-ever gift to Bates — a multiyear commitment of $10,000 to the Bates Fund — required intention and planning.

Longdon, one of Bates’ newest and youngest-ever members of the Board of Trustees, says Bates is worth the investment.

Bates Trustee David Longdon ’14 celebrates the launch of The Bates Campaign in New York City with fellow Trustee Emma Sprague ’10.

Longdon, who grew up in Ghana and the United Kingdom, is an investment banking analyst at Barclays, where he interned as a Bates junior. As an undergraduate, he earned Bates-funded research fellowships in community engagement in Lewiston and in economics, including a Stangle Fellowship to research microfinance enterprises in Ghana. “The opportunities I had at Bates make me keenly aware of the impact giving has on the lives of Bates students.”

For Longdon, giving to the campaign through the Bates Fund is an act of gratitude for the educational experience and opportunities that positioned him for personal and professional success.

“I believe it is incredibly important for young Bates alumni to give back, and I hope my philanthropy motivates other Bobcats of the Last Decade to be more intentional about giving of their time and resources to the college,” he adds.

A priority of The Bates Campaign, the Bates Fund provides vital support each year for current operating expenses, including financial aid, technology resources, and programming for student life, athletics, and the arts.

“Every Bates Fund gift counts in The Bates Campaign and is a vote of confidence in the college and its future,” says Genevieve Leslie, director of annual giving. “On behalf of the faculty and students who directly benefit from his philanthropy, I’m deeply grateful to David for his investment in The Bates Campaign.”

For Longdon, whose experience was supported by financial aid, “the college did something that I believe is best summarized by one of our most prominent alumni, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays: Bates made it possible for me to emancipate myself.”